The Great Lakes Entomologist Volume 50 Numbers 3 & 4 -- Fall/Winter 2017 Numbers 3 & Article 11 4 -- Fall/Winter 2017 December 2017 Arthropod Fauna Associated with Wild and Cultivated Cranberries in Wisconsin Shawn A. Steffan USDA, Agricultural Research Service, [email protected] Merritt E. Singleton University of Wisconsin-Madison, [email protected] Michael L. Draney University of Wisconsin – Green Bay, Department of Biology and Environmental Science, [email protected] Elissa M. Chasen USDA-ARS, [email protected] Kyle E. Johnson University of Wisconsin-Madison, [email protected] See next page for additional authors Follow this and additional works at: https://scholar.valpo.edu/tgle Part of the Agricultural Science Commons, Biodiversity Commons, Entomology Commons, and the Fruit Science Commons Recommended Citation Steffan, Shawn A.; Singleton, Merritt E.; Draney, Michael L.; Chasen, Elissa M.; Johnson, Kyle E.; and Zalapa, Juan E. 2017. "Arthropod Fauna Associated with Wild and Cultivated Cranberries in Wisconsin," The Great Lakes Entomologist, vol 50 (2) Available at: https://scholar.valpo.edu/tgle/vol50/iss2/11 This Peer-Review Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Department of Biology at ValpoScholar. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Great Lakes Entomologist by an authorized administrator of ValpoScholar. For more information, please contact a ValpoScholar staff member at [email protected]. Arthropod Fauna Associated with Wild and Cultivated Cranberries in Wisconsin Cover Page Footnote Wisconsin cranberry growers are gratefully acknowledged for their support of the arthropod surveys conducted on their marshes. The authors thank Dan Young (Dept. of Entomology, University of Wisconsin- Madison) for assistance with identifications of Coleoptera. Laboratory assistants (Scott Lee, Christopher Watson, Eric Wiesman) helped with the extrication of wild cranberry sods, as well as with sod dissections. The project was supported by USDA-ARS appropriated funds (awarded to SAS). Authors Shawn A. Steffan, Merritt E. Singleton, Michael L. Draney, Elissa M. Chasen, Kyle E. Johnson, and Juan E. Zalapa This peer-review article is available in The Great Lakes Entomologist: https://scholar.valpo.edu/tgle/vol50/iss2/11 Steffan et al.: Wisconsin cranberry arthropods 98 THE GREAT LAKES ENTOMOLOGIST Vol. 50, Nos. 3–4 Arthropod Fauna Associated with Wild and Cultivated Cranberries in Wisconsin Shawn A. Steffan1,2*, Merritt E. Singleton2, Michael L. Draney3, Elissa M. Chasen1, Kyle E. Johnson2, and Juan E. Zalapa1 1USDA-ARS, Madison, WI, 53706 2Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706 3Department of Natural & Applied Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, Green Bay, WI 54311 Abstract The cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Aiton) is an evergreen, trailing shrub native to North American peatlands. It is cultivated commercially in the US and Canada, with major production centers in Wisconsin, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Washington, Québec, and British Columbia. Despite the agricultural importance of cranberry in Wisconsin, relatively little is known of its arthropod associates, particularly the arachnid fauna. Here we report preliminary data on the insect and spider communities associated with wild and cultivated cranberries in Wisconsin. We then compare the insect and spider communities of wild cranberry systems to those of cultivated cranberries, indexed by region. Approximately 7,400 arthropods were curated and identified, spanning more than 100 families, across 11 orders. The majority of specimens and diversity derived from wild ecosystems. In both the wild and cultivated systems, the greatest numbers of families were found among the Diptera (midges, flies) and Hymenoptera (bees, ants, wasps), but numerically, the Hymenoptera and Araneae (spiders) were dominant. Within the spider fauna, 18 new county records, as well as a new Wisconsin state record (Linyphiidae: Ceratinopsis laticeps Emerton), were documented. While more extensive sampling will be needed to better resolve arthropod biodiversity in North American cranberry systems, our findings represent baseline data on the breadth of arthropod diversity in the Upper Midwest, USA. Key Words: Cranberry, insect biodiversity, peatland, spider, survey, Vaccinium Cranberry, Vaccinium macrocarpon Cranberries have been grown commer- Aiton (Ericaceae), is an evergreen trailing cially in Wisconsin for over 100 years (Eck shrub endemic to North American peat- 1990). Production is concentrated in the lands (Eck 1990). Peatlands are wetlands central portion of the state where growers that accumulate poorly decomposed organic produce approximately two-thirds of the matter (peat) and range from alkaline and nation’s cranberries (USDA NASS 2014). In minerotrophic (rich fens) to highly acidic and commercial cultivation, cranberries grow as ombrotrophic (bogs sensu stricto); they also dense monocultures, primarily in alternating range from treeless to forested (Rydin and layers of sand and detritus. Notably, culti- Jeglum 2013). These plant communities vary vated cranberry marshes exclude Sphagnum moss from the ecosystem, which almost but are usually floristically depauperate and completely carpet the ground in wild peat- dominated by Sphagnum and other mosses, lands (Rydin and Jeglum 2013). Fertilizers sedges, and ericaceous shrubs (Marshall et (N-P-K) and pesticides are added each year al. 1999). Cranberries can be found growing to maximize growth and berry production. in the wild in most Wisconsin counties, es- Cranberry beds are flooded in the spring for pecially in the central and northern portions frost protection/insect control, and again of the state (Johnson 2011, Chaddle 2013). in the fall to facilitate harvest (Eck 1990). While cranberry may dominate within rela- Thus, there are marked differences in soil tively small areas, it is often tightly associ- type, soil structure, floristic diversity, and ated with Sphagnum moss. hydrology between wild and managed cran- berry populations in Wisconsin. It stands to reason, then, that their respective fauna *Corresponding author: Dept. of Entomology, 1630 Linden Drive, University of Wisconsin, Madison, might also differ. WI, 53706, USA. (e-mail: steffan@entomology. The objective of this study was to begin wisc.edu) cataloging the arthropod diversity associat- Published by ValpoScholar, 2017 1 The Great Lakes Entomologist, Vol. 50, No. 2 [2017], Art. 11 2017 THE GREAT LAKES ENTOMOLOGIST 99 Table 1. Sampling sites across central Wisconsin peatlands. Site # County Lat/Lon Habitat 1 Wood 44.38502°N/90.01452°W agricultural cranberry bed (cultivated) 2 Monroe 44.07005°N/90.40795°W agricultural cranberry bed (cultivated) 3 Monroe 44.11126°N/90.34675°W open to sparsely treed, poor fen (wild) 4 Jackson 44.31573°N/90.74091°W sparsely treed, poor fen (wild) 5 Jackson 44.27450°N/90.73953°W open, poor fen (wild) ed with both wild and cultivated cranberry (Aronia melanocarpa (Michx.) Elliot) were systems. In doing so, we provide baseline sparse. Sporadic to sparse stunted tama- information on the fauna associated with rack (Larix laricina (Du Roi) K. Koch) was this economically important native plant. present at all sites, and one site (#4, Table 1) also had sparse stunted white birch (Betula Materials and Methods papyrifera Marshall) and white pine (Pinus strobus L.). This study was conducted in Jackson, Specimen collection and curation. Monroe and Wood counties, of central Wis- When an area harboring multiple visible consin (USA), the main production area of patches of cranberry had been located, a cranberry in the country. We sampled the single dense patch was randomly selected arthropod communities at two commercial for the initial suction-sampling of the plant cranberry marshes and three naturally oc- canopy. The suction-sample was taken using curring peatlands (total five sites). The sites a “D-vac” unit (Rincon Vitova, Ventura, CA), lie within a 60 km radius and all fall within which captures most above-ground arthro- the Glacial Lake Wisconsin Sand Plain pods within the 0.09 m2 sampling area of ecoregion (Johnson 2011). Sampling at all the unit. sites was done midday, under mostly clear Following the suction-sample, the skies (no rain or high winds) in late July and 2 early August of 2011. Each site was sampled 0.09 m area was excised to a depth of 0.3 once within a five-week period using multiple m using a common garden spade, and the sampling techniques. whole volume of plant, detritus, and soil was carefully removed from the ground. This Cultivated Sampling Sites. Two mass of soil and plant material (referred to commercial cranberry beds in central Wis- as a ‘core’) was placed within a plastic bag, consin (Table 1) were selected based on then into a cooler for transport back to the growers’ willingness to participate in the laboratory. The core-sample provided access study. Both commercial marshes were man- to below-ground arthropod diversity, and aged conventionally, and planted with the was supplemented with 80 further D-vac cultivar, ‘Stevens.’ A single cultivar was used samples, taken randomly from the general to control for insect and spider community area surrounding the core excavation (i.e., differences attributable to variable plant the available cranberry patches within 20 traits. All samples were taken at least three m of the core sample). The suction-samples meters from the edge of the bed. provided an assessment of arthropods within Wild Sampling Sites. The